Reliable Mastery

Specialist What a specialist brings to the table is experience. While a

Clad in a jet black doublet and thick cowl, a gaunt wood elf fighter might get in twice as many hits, a specialist can deal
gracefully rappels down the wall of a frigid keep. The arrow damage right where it hurts, silence an adjacent mage, and
slits punctuating the tower are barely wide enough to fit the help a buddy out of a bind... all in the same turn.
heel of his boot, but he contorts his body and slip through Specialists are highly focused and can fill numerous roles
unscathed. He whips out stately robes from his pack, jettisons within a party. While most classes require focusing on one or
the bag out the window, and makes his way down the spiral two abilities in particular, a specialist is able to maximize
staircase. The infiltration has begun. their potential no matter what they prioritize. By selecting
A gnome holds an enchanted pistol to a young man's from a diverse set of unique actions, a specialist always has
temple, demanding answers. She knows he'll talk with a bit the right skills for the task at hand, whether that's a stealth
of coaxing, and a generous slap from the butt of her gun operation, a siege, or a interrogation.
might be just what it takes to get the words flowing.
For one particularly enthusiastic human, being pursued is Ace In The Hole
half the fun. He knows the pesky cutthroats won't ever catch When you need someone to take care of a particularly messy
up after he teleports 60 feet in the blink of an eye. No one's task that others won't even touch, the specialist is the only
laying a hand on his precious cargo. person you can count on. Never shying away from danger, a
A specialist is the expert you call upon to do the specialist is ready and willing to hunt a beast twice as tall,
impossible. No matter the skill set needed, a specialist has outwit an adversary twice as cunning, and uncover clues
the right tools and abilities for the job. They excel as lone twice as hidden.
wolves or team players, and no two specialists are alike: You might know a specialist and not even know it. They're
prodigious problem solvers, illustrious investigators, and not always as obvious as the wizard in the pointed hat or the
brilliant brokers of peace and war. soldier donning full plate. Rather, a specialist is defined by
their unrivaled aptitudes: neither a spellcaster nor a martial
D&D 5e homebrew class by Will Savino, art by Paper Forge master, specialists are at their best when they wield unusual
prowess for devastating results. Often, when specialists go
above and beyond, you won't notice they've done anything at
all.
A specialist takes their work with them wherever they go,
so it's only natural that they'd make their way into an
adventuring party. Never passing up an opportunity to put
their years of experience to the test, a specialist might find
themselves perpetually in a "one last job" mindset, while
knowing full well that they can never walk away from their
niche line of work.
Creating A Specialist
Every specialist has their "angle." Are you the smooth talking
conman who weasels your way behind enemy lines? Or
perhaps the grizzled detective, world-weary and ready to fly
off the handle at the drop of a copper piece. Maybe you're
simply the lithe gymnast with a penchant for assassinations.
No matter what ability you focus on, you'll be able to craft a
highly competent expert with niche abilities for a wide range
of scenarios.
Most specialists have a boss, client, or wealthy benefactor
whose neverending docket of gigs has helped you to build a
storied resume. Consider whether this is a beloved mentor, a
thorn in your side, or a powerful monarch you can't risk
offending. Alternatively, perhaps you're a perpetual freelancer,
always lending aid to the highest bidder.
What drives you to focus so intently on your abilities? Were
you always devoted to this calling, or did this life adopt you?
Maybe you were born into a family of spies, or (more likely)
sold into servitude. Are you appreciative of the abilities you've
honed, or do you lament the normal life you know you can
never have? Perhaps most importantly: are you driven by a
code of honor, or do you do what you do simply because you
know you're good at it?
 Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor
Specialist Weapons: Simple weapons, blowguns, hand crossbows,
firearms
Proficiency Techniques Tools: Disguise kit
Level Bonus Features Known
Saving Throws: Constitution and your Signature Ability
Signature Ability, Skills: Choose any three
1st +2 Dependable Technique, —
Call The Shot Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the
2nd +2 Vocation — equipment granted by your background:
3rd +2 Signature Techniques 2
(a) a club or (b) two daggers
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 2 (a) a shortbow and a quiver of 20 arrows or (b) a light
5th +3 Elite Tactics, Killing Blow 2 crossbow and 20 bolts
(a) a Burglar's Pack or (b) a Diplomat's Pack
6th +3
Unarmored Defense,
3 Leather armor, manacles, and a disguise kit
Expertise
7th +3 Vocation feature 3 Signature Ability
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 3 At 1st level, choose one ability other than Constitution to be
your Signature Ability. When you attack with a weapon with
9th +4 Signature Weapon 4 which you are proficient, you can use your Signature Ability
10th +4 Expertise, Killing Blow 4 modifier instead of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for
the attack and damage rolls. Your Signature Ability will
11th +4 Honed Physique 4 determine which Signature Techniques are available to you.
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 Some of your class features require your target to make a
13th +5 Vocation feature 5
saving throw. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
14th +5 Honed Mind 5 Signature save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
15th +5 Signature Weapon 6 your Signature Ability modifier
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 6
Dependable Technique
17th +6 Killing Blow 6
Once per turn, you can add your proficiency bonus to a
18th +6 Honed Senses 7 damage roll for a weapon with which you are proficient.
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 7
Call The Shot
20th +6 Vocation feature 7
As a bonus action, you can choose to add 10 to your next
attack roll on your turn. You can do this a number of times
equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.

Quick Build
Vocation
You can make a specialist quickly by following these At 2nd level, you choose a vocation: Operative, Sleuth, or
suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in an ability Spectral Agent, each of which is detailed at the end of the
of your choice, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the class's description. Your choice grants you additional features
charlatan background. at 7th level and again at 13th and 20th level.
Optional Rule: Multiclassing Signature Techniques
A specialist spends their life honing specific skills. As such, At 3rd level, you gain two Signature Techniques of your
specialists are not capable of multiclassing. Depending on choice. Your technique options are detailed at the end of the
the character you want to create, there are many options class description. When you gain certain specialist levels, you
within the specialist class to help you craft a unique playstyle. gain additional techniques of your choice, as shown in the
Techniques Known column of the Specialist table.
Class Features Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can
As a specialist, you gain the following class features. choose one of the techniques you know and replace it with
another technique that you could learn at that level.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per specialist level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution Modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution
modifier per specialist level after 1st
Ability Score Improvement Honed Physique
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and At 11th level, you become deeply in tune with your body. You
19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice have advantage on saving throws against being being blinded,
by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by deafened, paralyzed, and poisoned.
1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20
using this feature. Honed Mind
Elite Tactics Starting at 14th level, you've hardened your psyche, granting
you the following benefits:
Starting at 5th level, you can use your bonus action on each of
your turns for one of the following effects: You have resistance to psychic damage.
Your thoughts can’t be read by telepathy or other means,
Artful Shuffle. One creature within 5 feet of you that is unless you allow it.
medium or smaller must make a Dexterity saving throw. When you make an Intelligence or Wisdom saving throw,
On a failed save, you swap locations with the creature. you can roll a d6 and add it to your roll.
This does not provoke opportunity attack for you or the
creature. You cannot perform this while restrained. Honed Senses
Know Thy Enemy. You thoroughly inspect one creature By 18th level, your senses could rival any apex predator.
that you can see. If you succeed on a Wisdom (Insight)
check contested by the creature's Charisma (Deception) You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks.
check, the next attack that strikes the creature will ignore You can perform a Search action as a bonus action.
any resistances. You innately detect any poisons or poisonous creatures
Throat Chop. You deftly smack a creature within 5 feet of within 30 feet of you as long as you can smell.
you in the neck. The creature must make a Constitution
saving throw. Spellcasters roll with advantage. On a Vocations
failure, the creature cannot speak until the start of your
next turn. The DM may determine that a throat chop is It is the very nature of a specialist to hone one's abilities
not anatomically possible for a given creature. toward a particular end. When your services are called upon,
your client will make certain assumptions about your skill set
Killing Blow based on your chosen calling. These Vocations allow you to
Also at 5th level, if you roll a 15 or higher on the d20 while further specialize, becoming a sought-after master of a
triggering Dependable Technique, you instead add double particular expert method.
your proficiency bonus to the damage roll. At Level 11, you
add triple your proficiency bonus, and at level 17, you add five Operative
times your proficiency bonus. Some specialists value efficiency above all else: a quick
entrance, a clean kill, and a discreet exit. Operatives have all
Unarmored Defense the tools needed to eliminate a target, excelling equally in
Starting at 6th level, while you are wearing no armor and not combat, stealth, and mobility. They make excellent spies,
wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Signature Ability scouts, and mercenaries.
modifier + your Constitution modifier. Fighting Style
Expertise When you choose this vocation at 2nd level, you adopt a
particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of
At 6th level, choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your the following options:
proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make
that uses either of the chosen proficiencies. At 10th level, you Archery. You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make
can choose one additional skill proficiency to gain this with ranged weapons.
benefit. Dueling. When you are wielding a melee weapon in one
Signature Weapon hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to
damage rolls with that weapon.
At 9th level, choose any two weapon types to be your
signature weapons. You may choose any simple or martial Two-Weapon Fighting. When you engage in two-weapon
weapon that lacks the heavy and special properties. You gain fighting, you can add your Signature Ability modifier to the
proficiency with these weapons if you don't already have it. damage of the second attack.
You can roll a d10 in place of the normal damage of these Army Crawl
weapons. At level 15, you pick one additional weapon type,
the damage die becomes a d12 and you get a +1 bonus to Starting at level 7, whenever you are prone, you have a +5
attack and damage rolls made with these weapons. bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks. Additionally, being prone
does not impose disadvantage on ranged attacks. When you
are prone, standing up uses only 5 feet of your movement.
Enfeeblement
At level 7, you gain a +2 bonus to your Signature save DC.
 Good Cop, Bad Cop
Starting at level 2, you've learned the value of flipping the
script. You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation)
checks against creatures that are friendly to you, as well as
on Charisma (Persuasion) checks against creatures that are
hostile toward you.
Arcane Sidearm
At level 7, you gain a magical pistol that is always on your
person. The pistol automatically reloads magical
ammunition, deals 1d10 force damage and has the ranged
(30/90) property. Additionally, despite being a ranged
weapon, being within 5 feet of a hostile creature does not
impose disadvantage on attacks made with this weapon.
When you "holster" the pistol, it melds into your hip. You can
summon this weapon as a bonus action whenever your hand
is at your side.
This pistol receives all of the benefits of the Signature
Weapon feature and does not count against the list of
weapons chosen.
Trust Your Gut
Starting at level 13, you can look inwards when trying to
unravel a mystery. When you do so, you cast the divination or
speak with dead spell without using a spell slot or material
components.
When you cast divination, instead of consulting a deity, you
consult with your innate "detective sense," which may be
Integrated Glider more or less reliable than an actual God. After you cast either
Starting at level 13, you can spend 1 hour installing leather spell in this way, you can’t use this feature again until you
webbing into the arms and legs of your armor or clothing. You finish a short or long rest.
can use your reaction to activate this webbing whenever you Nobody Move
are falling. At level 20, your commanding presence can stop creatures in
While activated, your rate of descent can be as slow as 10 their tracks. While you're wielding your arcane sidearm, you
or as fast as 60 feet per round, and you have a horizontal can use a bonus action to command everyone within 30 feet
flying speed of 60 feet. You take no falling damage and can of you stop moving. If anyone in this area moves before the
land safely on your feet. You can use your glider for 1 hour at start of your next turn, you can use your reaction to make a
a time before you need to land. While gliding, you cannot single ranged attack against that creature.
perform any action that requires the use of your arms or legs.
Eliminate Foe
Spectral Agent
At level 20, you've become the ultimate efficient killer. When speed and discretion are absolutely required, those
Immediately after landing an attack on a creature, you can with the means call on a Spectral Agent. Whether
attempt to kill that creature outright. If the foe has fewer than transporting legendary contraband, delivering a top secret
100 hit point, it must roll a Constitution saving throw. If it has message, or kidnapping a foreign ruler, no one is more adept
greater than 100 hit points, it automatically succeeds. On a at getting from point A to B with grace and style. Gifted with
fail, it dies. Otherwise, it takes damage as normal. After using otherworldly magics, Spectral Agents are much more than
this feature, you must take a long rest before using it again. glorified couriers: they're ethereal voyagers with supernatural
expertise, impossible to track, and even harder to catch.
Sleuth
Deft Traveler
Sometimes, a specialist is employed specifically to unravel When you choose this vocation at level 2, you gain proficiency
mysteries. Sleuths are adept at following clues, forcing a with land and water vehicles. Additionally, your speed
confession, and when all else fails trusting their intuition. increases by 10 feet. Lastly, you can't be tracked by
While a Sleuth is often trained to avoid physical nonmagical means, unless you choose to leave a trail.
confrontation, their combat training allows them to get out of
sticky situations with their head still on their shoulders. Mystical Voyager
Starting at level 7, you start to gain command of your spectral
Deductive Reasoning gifts. You can cast misty step a number of times equal to your
When you choose this vocation at 2nd level, you gain Signature Ability modifier (a minimum of once). You regain
proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: any expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Investigation, Insight, or Perception. Alternatively, you learn You can also cast find steed once per long rest.
one language of your choice.
Duplicated Dueler Fundamentals of Magic
Beginning at level 13, you gain the aid of spectral duplicates Prerequisite: Intelligence Signature Ability
from the ethereal plane to deceive your opponents. Whenever
you roll initiative, you receive the benefits of mirror image, You learn two cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell
though you have only two illusory duplicates instead of three. list, which you can cast without material components.
Concurrent Combatants Garrote
At level 20, your spectral duplicates can commingle with Whenever you attack an enemy during a surprise round, or
reality. Once per long rest, you can use your bonus action to one who is grappled, you can add 2d6 to the damage roll.
create two spectral duplicates to do your bidding. When you
do so, these illusory copies take a full turn immediately after Graceful Save
yours, following your commands. Whenever you succeed on a saving throw to fully avoid the
They have access to all the same movement, abilities, effects of a trap or an enemy spell, you gain temporary hit
weapons, and features that you have, though they cannot cast points equal to your specialist level.
any spells. Your duplicates do not provoke opportunity attack. No-Fly Zone
After you and your duplicates have each taken a turn, these Prerequisite: 12th level
duplicates disappear back to the ethereal plane.
As a bonus action, you designate a cylinder 60 feet tall with a
Signature Techniques radius of 30 feet centered around you. Any creature that
attempts to fly into this cylinder or starts its turn within it
Amphibious Training must roll a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the
You can breathe underwater, and you gain a swimming speed creature must use all of its remaining movement to descend
equal to your walking speed. straight down and land. The cylinder lasts until the start of
your next turn, and the cylinder moves with you.
Brutal Throat Chop
Prerequisite: 9th level, Strength Signature Ability Not On My Watch
In addition to its normal function, the Throat Chop feature Prerequisite: 9th level, Charisma Signature Ability
does damage equal to twice your proficiency bonus whenever When a friendly creature other than you that you can see fails
the target fails its Constitution saving throw. a saving throw, you can use your reaction to allow them to
reroll. They must use the new roll, and you can't use this
Buddy System feature again until you finish a short rest.
Prerequisite: Charisma Signature Ability
You can cast find familiar as a ritual.
Checkmate
Prerequisite: 15th level
Whenever you are 5 feet from an enemy who is also 5 feet
away from a wall or from one of your allies, you can attempt
to grapple that enemy as a bonus action.
Combat Medic
Prerequisite: Wisdom Signature Ability
Once per long rest, as an action, you can touch one creature
other than yourself and heal them for a number of hit points
equal to your Wisdom Modifier + your character level.
Conquer Thy Enemy
Prerequisite: 9th level, Intelligence Signature Ability
In addition to its normal function, the Know Thy Enemy
feature has an additional benefit: if the next attack that
strikes the creature deals a damage type that the creature is
neither resistant nor immune to, the creature is instead
vulnerable to this damage. Once you use this feature in this
way, you can't do so again until you finish a short rest.
Pocket Sand Strategic Timing
You can use your bonus action to throw sand at one creature Whenever you roll for initiative, you can swap initiative scores
within 5 feet of you. That creature can't make opportunity with one of your allies.
attacks until the start of your next turn.
Superior Sidestep
Polymath Prerequisite: 9th level, Dexterity Signature Ability
You learn one language and two tool proficiencies.
You can use the dodge action as a bonus action.
Pressure Point
Prerequisite: 9th level, Wisdom Signature Ability Tactical Reload
Prerequisite: Dexterity Signature Ability
Whenever you trigger Killing Blow with a melee attack, you
can use your bonus action to target the creature's pressure When you reduce an enemy to 0 hit points with a ranged
points. The creature makes a Constitution saving throw. On a weapon attack, you can immediately take another ranged
failure, they can't use bonus actions or reactions and their attack as a bonus action.
movement is halved until the start of your next turn. If the
creature can normally make multiple attacks as part of its The Best Defense
action, it can now only take one. Prerequisite: 12th level
Return the Favor Whenever you trigger a Killing Blow, your gain a +2 bonus to
Prerequisite: 12th level your AC until the start of your next turn.
Whenever a friendly creature targets you with a spell of 1st Untargetable
level or higher, you can use your reaction to bestow the Prerequisite: 15th level
effects of the bless spell on the caster for the next minute. Spells attacks that target you are rolled with disadvantage.
Savage Spin
When there are at least 2 hostile enemies within 5 feet of X-Ray Vision
you, you can use your action to attack every creature Once per long rest, you can focus your heightened visual
surrounding you. Make a separate attack roll for each abilities. When you do so, you can see into and through solid
creature. You can't use this feature again until you finish a matter for 1 minute. The vision has has a radius of 30 feet. To
short or long rest. you, solid objects within that radius appear transparent and
don't prevent light from passing through them. The vision can
Spring Step penetrate 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, or up to 3
Prerequisite: Strength Signature Ability feet of wood or dirt. Thicker substances block the vision, as
does a thin sheet of lead.
You are always under the effects of the jump spell.